Different immune cells mediate mechanical pain hypersensitivity in male and female mice.

ABSTRACT: A large and rapidly increasing body of evidence indicates that microglia-to-neuron signaling is essential for chronic pain hypersensitivity. Using multiple approaches, we found that microglia are not required for mechanical pain hypersensitivity in female mice; female mice achieved similar levels of pain hypersensitivity using adaptive immune cells, likely T lymphocytes. This sexual dimorphism suggests that male mice cannot be used as proxies for females in pain research.

SUBMITTER: Sorge RE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4772157 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature